Storm Guide for May 26, 2013

Storm Guide for May 26, 2013, Gainesville, Florida

SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
www.gainesville.com
• TRACKING MAP, 10
• PET SAFETY, 13
• DISASTER
SUPPLY KIT, 14
• LIST OF
SHELTERS, 19
STORM
GUIDE
2013
THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
2| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
HURRICANE
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SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |3
University
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4| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Inside
5
SEMINOLES: New FSU scale measures
hurricane season’s strength.
6
PREPARE: Know what to do to prepare
for the season.
8
TROPICAL STORMS: A look back at last
year’s tropical storms that hit the area.
10
TRACKING MAP: Follow the path of the
storm as it approaches.
13
14
PETS: Keep your four-legged friends safe.
SURVIVAL: Tips on making a plan on
what you’ll need during and after a storm.
15
PLAY IT SAFE: Safety tips for dealing
with a storm’s aftermath.
16
GRU: The power company has plenty of
experience dealing with storms.
17
HOSPITALS: Gainesville hospitals
practice for severe weather yearly.
18
SHELTERS: Area shelters are ready when
called upon.
19
MORE SHELTERS: A list of shelters.
COVER ART: Illustration by Sean Ochal/Staff
EDITOR: Jim Ross
COPY EDITOR: Ted Beck
Strong season predicted
Colorado State researchers
believe the lack of an El Nino
inﬂuence will lead to more
storm development.
By Joe Callahan
Staff writer
Al Sandrik, the National Weather
Service’s warning coordination
meteorologist in Jacksonville, can
never understand why so many state
residents never prepare for hurricane season, which begins Saturday.
Sandrik compared hurricane
preparation to the Florida Lottery.
The odds of one “specific” location
getting hit by a major hurricane may
be low, but those odds are still
greater than winning the lottery.
And both, he said, will “change
your life significantly.”
Marion sheriff’s Maj. Paul Laxton,
the county’s new emergency
management director, said even
tropical storms can cause power
outages for days or even a week, as
in 2004 when Frances and Jeanne
slammed the county as tropical
storms just two weeks apart.
Frances, which struck Sept. 5,
damaged 2,000 homes and caused
$20 million in damage.
Jeanne didn’t damage as many
homes or cause as much damage.
Laxton said the better prepared
residents are during hurricane
season, the better emergency
officials can get the community
back to normal.
Those comments come as the 2013
hurricane season is about to begin.
And some hurricane experts predict
a very busy year for storms.
Colorado State University experts
predict this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will produce 18 named
storms — nine of them hurricanes
— by the end of the season, which is
Nov. 30.
This is the 30th year Colorado
Roll call
The first storms of the Atlantic
hurricane season will be named
as follows: Andrea, Barry, Chantal,
Dorian and Erin.
State University has issued its
annual hurricane forecast.
The team, which includes professors Philip J. Klotzbach and William
Grey, believe the lack of an El Nino
influence, which sheers the tops off
hurricanes, will lead to increased
storm development.
The men lead the school’s Tropical
Meteorology Project.
They believe the 2013 hurricane
season will nearly be as active as
last year.
In 2012, there were 19 named
storms — 10 of them hurricanes —
in the Atlantic.
The team predicts that of the nine
hurricanes this season, four will
become major storms, which is
Category 3 or above.
The average annual number of
named storms for the past three
decades is 12, with six and a half of
those being hurricanes and two
being major storms, according to
the team’s research.
Officials say Colorado State’s
forecasts are great tools, especially
when the team predicts above-average activity, like it was from the
mid-1990s through much of the
2000s.
A prediction of an active season
tends to lead more residents to get
fully prepared.
Of course, even the slow hurricane seasons can be devastating.
Take 1992, for instance.
The first hurricane of the season
that year did not hit until late
August.
And that was Andrew, one of the
strongest storms to ever hit the
United States.
CSU’s experts say there is a 72
percent chance the U.S. East Coast
Expert predictions
Here’s a look at what the experts predict
for the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season:
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY/TROPICAL
METEOROLOGY PROJECT
■ 18
named storms
■ Nine hurricanes
■ Four major hurricanes
THE WEATHER CHANNEL
■ 16
named storms
■ Nine hurricanes
■ Five major hurricanes
ACCUWEATHER
■ 16
named storms
■ Eight hurricanes
■ Four major hurricanes
WEATHERBELL ANALYTICS
■ 16
named storms
hurricanes
■ Five major hurricanes
■ 12
— Staff report
will be struck by a major hurricane,
which is above the century average
of 52 percent.
The U.S. East Coast, including the
Florida peninsula, has a 48 percent
chance of being hit by a major
storm, down from the century
average of 31 percent.
Last year, there were changes to
hurricane preparedness procedures
and hurricane strength scales.
Officials say tape is no longer
needed to protect windows, and the
intensity scale for major hurricanes
was adjusted by 1 mph in recent
years.
On the Saffir-Simpson hurricane
scale, a Category 4 hurricane now
has wind speeds between 130-156
mph, which in turn affected the
wind scale for the other two major
hurricane categories.
Category 3 is now 111-129 mph,
while a Category 5 is 157 mph and
above.
Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or
joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.
Colorado State University experts lead the school’s Tropical Meteorology Project. They
believe the 2013 hurricane season will nearly be as active as last year. In 2012, there
were 19 named storms — 10 of them hurricanes — in the Atlantic.
www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |5
New FSU scale measures
hurricane season’s strength
By Jim Ross
Senior editor
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/FILE
This NOAA satellite image taken Oct. 30, 2012, shows superstorm Sandy slowly
moving westward while weakening across southern Pennsylvania.
BY THE NUMBERS
2: The number classified as major (Category 3 or higher)
10: The number of hurricanes during the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season
82.2 million: Population, as of July 1, of coastal states stretching from North
Carolina to Texas — the areas most threatened by Atlantic hurricanes.
26.2: Percentage of the nation’s population that lives in these states
591,821: Collective land area, in square miles, of the states stretching from North
Carolina to Texas
Call it the Seminole
Scale.
Florida State University
researchers have devised
a new way of measuring a
hurricane season’s
activity — more fully
accounting for storms’
size, duration and
capacity for destruction.
When it comes to
hurricanes, most people
want to know category —
1 through 5, with 5 being
the strongest. That scale
is mostly based on wind
speed.
But wind speed doesn’t
necessarily correspond to
ultimate damage.
Sandy never got
stronger than Category 2,
for example, but it killed
285 people in seven
countries and became the
second costliest storm in
U.S. history.
“Likewise, Hurricane
Katrina was a weaker
storm than 1969’s Camille
but caused much more
destruction — even
though the two hurricanes followed essentially the same path,” FSU
said in a news release.
The FSU team wanted a
better way to measure a
hurricane season’s
impact. Its answer is a
new scale — the real
name is Track Integrated
Kinetic Energy, or TIKE
— which builds on the
concept of Integrated
Kinetic Energy.
“IKE involves using
kinetic energy scales with
the surface stress that
forces storm surge and
waves and the horizontal
wind loads specified by
the American Society of
Civil Engineers,” the
news release said.
TIKE expands that
concept by accounting for
the IKE readings for all
named storms in a
hurricane season.
“TIKE gives a succinct
picture by taking into
account the number of
tropical cyclones in the
season, the duration of
each tropical cyclone, and
the time history of the
wind force over a large
area surrounding each
tropical cyclone,” said
Vasu Misra, an associate
professor of meteorology
in the Department of
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science and FSU’s
Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies
(COAPS), in the release.
Sandy’s IKE reading
was more than 300
terajoules, which is a
measure of energy. That
was the largest such
reading for any hurricane
between 1990 and 2006.
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Sandy no more: Name retired from list
Since 1954, 76 names
have been retired
from the storm list.
By Jim Ross
Senior editor
So long, Sandy.
The World Meteorological Organization’s
hurricane committee has
retired the name from the
official list of Atlantic
Basin tropical cyclone
names.
It’s easy to see why:
Sandy was the storm of
the year in 2012, causing
damage in the Caribbean
and the Mid-Atlantic
United States.
The officials explanation, as spelled out by the
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration:
“Storm names are
reused every six years for
both the Atlantic and
eastern North Pacific
basins. If a storm is so
deadly or costly that the
future use of the name
would be insensitive or
confusing, the WMO
hurricane committee,
which includes personnel
from NOAA’s National
Hurricane Center, may
retire the name.”
Since 1954, some 76
names have been taken off
the Atlantic list. Sandy is
the 77th.
So, what happens if a
future season progresses
to the point that an “S”
name is needed.
Starting in 2018, we can
say hello to Sara.
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THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
6| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Being prepared is half the battle during storm season
An Alachua County official emphasizes
forming a plan, developing a disaster kit,
being informed and getting involved.
By Morgan Watkins
Staff writer
With the start of the
six-month-long hurricane
season fast approaching,
local emergency aid
agencies and residents
alike are preparing for
potential storms.
The American Red Cross
of North Central Florida,
which covers Alachua
County and seven others,
is primarily focused on
prepping its volunteers
before storms start rolling
across the state, said
Casey Schmelz, emergency services manager for
the local chapter. It is
hosting refresher training
for volunteers, and it
welcomes new helpers as
well.
With the unusually
warm Pacific waters of El
Nino in play this year,
Schmelz said the Red
Cross is expecting a more
active storm season
because the oceanic
phenomenon brings with
it an increase in both the
possibility and strength of
storms.
“We’re looking at the
chance of a 2004 hurricane season again, which
for most Floridians is the
last time that we’ve seen a
pretty strong impact,” she
said.
Last year, Tropical Storm
Beryl was an early arrival
in late May and carried
almost-hurricane-force
winds. Tropical Storm
Debby followed Beryl’s
first act, causing widespread flooding in North
Florida.
Almost a year later,
Schmelz said Debby made
the local chapter more
aware of certain vulnerable populations within its
jurisdiction, some of
whom still are trying to
recover from the effects of
that storm.
The Red Cross is trying
to be extra vigilant about
anticipating residents’
needs and is establishing
strategic partnerships
with various organizations that will help
communities better
recover from storms.
Dave Donnelly, emergency management
director for Alachua
County Emergency
Management, said his
department also has been
working on forging
relationships with local
groups because of the
region’s experience with
those tropical storms.
During Debby, the
Florida Department of
Children and Families in
Suwannee County had
many clients asking for
diapers, baby formula and
other supplies.
“People are going to go to
where they go day to day
during an emergency,” he
said.
Alachua County’s
emergency management
team has been working
with organizations
ranging from churches to
businesses to civic groups
over the past six months to
educate them about what
they need to know for
hurricane season, Donnelly said. The department
will host its first Emergency Response Business
Summit in June, which
will help local businesses
with disaster planning.
Floridians also need to
remember to pay attention
to a tropical storm as well
as to a hurricane, Schmelz
said.
“It can really throw us for
a loop, and it can really
affect many people who
wouldn’t have thought
twice about it because it
wasn’t named a large
storm,” she said.
Residents also should be
aware of the threat posed
by tornadoes that can
accompany storms, she
said, especially since the
National Weather Service
has a hard time gauging
weather phenomena such
as tornadoes in portions of
southeastern Alachua
County and northern Levy
County.
“It’s like the Bermuda
Triangle for the National
Weather Service in our
area,” she said.
In addition to staying up
to date on weather
developments during
hurricane season, people
should make other
preparations so they’re
ready for a storm if it pays
a visit to their neighborhood.
Donnelly, of Alachua
County Emergency
Management, emphasized
four pillars of preparedness everyone should
consider: form a plan;
develop a disaster kit; be
informed; and be involved.
Families need to plan for
a disaster in advance. If
you aren’t going to
evacuate, is your home
storm-worthy, or do you
need to prune or remove
DOUG ENGLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE
Ocala’s George Gossett pumps gas at Sam’s Club.
some potentially dangerous trees? If you go to a
relative’s house, do you
have alternate paths
mapped out in case other
routes are jammed?
You’ll also need a
disaster kit, Donnelly said.
Pack at least five days’
worth of food and water.
Families need one gallon
of water per person per
day just to drink. Buy food
you’d normally eat that
doesn’t require much
preparation. If you don’t
like canned sardines,
don’t get them.
Staying informed about
weather changes is
especially important,
Donnelly said, whether
you do so through the
media, the county’s
code-red notification
system or other means.
The county’s notification
system, which residents
can sign up for at codered.
alachuacounty.us, can
send alerts via phone, text
or email.
Finally, Donnelly said
people should consider
getting involved in the
county’s Community
Emergency Response
Team or another volunteer program through
which they can receive
disaster training. Neighbors or loved ones, not
trained personnel, are
usually the first ones
on-scene during a big
disaster.
Contact Morgan Watkins
at 338-3104 or morgan.
watkins@gainesville.com.
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Lesson learned from last year
Tropical storms
soaked North Central
Florida and packed
a pricey punch.
By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer
orth Central Florida
last year finally got
the rain it needed
to end a lengthy
drought that had sent
groundwater and lake levels plunging.
But with Tropical storms
Beryl and, especially,
Debby, rain came in
torrents. People scrambled to save their lives and
those of their pets and livestock. Homes flooded.
Downtown Live Oak
flooded.
The public damage in
Columbia County alone
was estimated at $12
million to $15 million just
for roads and other
infrastructure, not
including private homes.
In the months since then,
state and local agencies
have taken steps to
prepare for future storms.
But as Columbia County
Emergency Management
Director Shayne Morgan
said, it’s difficult to
prepare for the type of
rain that Debby produced.
“One of the problems is
that we got 30 inches of
rainfall in two and a half
days. That’s a boatload of
rain coming down,”
Morgan said.
So heavy was the rainfall
that the Suwannee River
at White Springs, which
stood at 51 feet mean sea
level on the Sunday before
the storm hit, rose to 81.37
by Tuesday. Flood stage
there is 77 feet.
The rain forced the
closure of a section of
Interstate 10 in Columbia
N
DOUG FINGER/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE
ABOVE: Don Boyette stands near his home in Live Oak last July. Boyette’s home of
46 years was completely gutted after ﬂood waters from Tropical Storm Debby
breached the house. “With the good Lord’s help I’ll get through,” he said.
BELOW: Cedar Key Fire Chief Robert Robinson walks on a section of a ﬂoating dock
that broke loose during storm surge from Tropical Storm Debby last June.
BRAD MCCLENNY/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE
County while rainfall that
overwhelmed swales
along Interstate 75 sent
water pouring into the
adjacent Lake City
Country Club neighborhood.
Now, with the repairs
and plans for future work,
officials hope that should
storms hit again, communities will be better able to
absorb it.
Gina Busscher, district
spokeswoman for the
Florida Department of
Transportation, said modifications are planned to
Interstate 10 that should
make it better able to fend
off flooding after heavy
rains.
TROPICAL on Page 9
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SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |9
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Austin Tinker ﬂoats on ﬂood waters from Tropical Storm Debby in downtown Live Oak last June.
TROPICAL: Officials adjusting their plans
Continued from 8
“We’ve opened bids to
raise the interstate and put
in giant culverts so the
water can flow under I-10,
which will keep it from
flooding in the future, we
hope,” Busscher said. “It’s
a $24 million contract. The
work should commence in
November. That will take
care of a lot of the problems when it floods.”
Busscher added that
crews are steadily cleaning ditches and culverts to
remove debris that
contributes to flooding.
Morgan said that as
Columbia County repaired
roads and associated
infrastructure, it made
improvements that will
lessen the chance of
flooding.
“We were looking at
about $9 million in
damage to road and
culverts being blown out,”
Many of the areas
hardest hit by Debby and
Beryl are in the district,
whose Live Oak headquarters was surrounded by
water for weeks after
Debby.
Minnis added that the
district also is developing
SHAYNE MORGAN,
ways, in conjunction with
Columbia County Emergency Management director
local governments, to
better store stormwater so
Morgan said. “All road
and we’ve been working
it can be used in a benefirepairs have been comtoward doing this, in the
cial
way.
pleted so the roads are all
area between the immedi“We are working
usable again. We’ve tried
ate response and the
to make improvements to
long-term recovery part of through what needs to
happen and what needs to
better handle an influx of
the equation,” Morgan
be done to not only get rid
rain. We have just repaired said. “Getting people the
them with the same thing
help they need in between of the water, as has been
done in the past, but to
that was there.”
is one of the areas we are
also benefit the resource
Morgan added that the
working to improve on.”
county has reviewed its
Steve Minnis, communi- with that excess water,”
Minnis said. “We are
response to the needs of
cations director for the
actively exploring a
people from last year’s
Suwannee River Water
storms with an eye toward Management District, said number of projects to
improving its emergency
the district now is working possibly capture some of
that excess flow and
response plan.
more closely with emerrecharge the groundwater
“I saw that we probably
gency coordinators in
need to shore up the plan,
advance of storms.
system.”
“I saw that we probably need to shore
up the plan, and we’ve been working
toward doing this, in the area between the
immediate response and the long-term
recovery part of the equation.”
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10| THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
HURRICANE TRACKING MAP
Tennessee
South
Carolina
Mississippi
Texas
North
Carolina
Alabama
Read west to
63° West
Wilmington
Savannah
Louisiana
■
we
Read north to
34° North
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
20
25˚
Tampa
Miami
BAHAMAS
20˚
GULF
OF
MEXICO
CUBA
YUCATAN
PENINSULA
HAITI
He
th
ap
PUERTO
RICO
JAMAICA
15˚
HONDURAS
CARIBBEAN SEA
10˚
VENEZUELA
PANAMA
80˚
75˚
Flo
flo
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COLOMBIA
85˚
Th
Ce
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COSTA
RICA
90˚
Th
Se
Th
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fe
NICARAGUA
95˚
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Fe
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Hu
In
Je
W
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
BELIZE
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SALVADOR
■
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the
Gainesville
Cedar
Key
Florida Cape Canaveral
GUATEMALA
■
thr
■
36
Jacksonville
MEXICO
■
int
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co
Example
Charleston
Georgia
Tr
gainesville.com/hurricane
30˚
Arkansas
T
Important local information, radar,
updated forecasts and this
tracking map available at
10˚0˚
20˚˚0˚
MILES
70˚
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STORM GUIDE 2013 | 11
THINGS TO KNOW
Hurricane strengths
■ TROPICAL DISTURBANCE: First stage of unstable weather that may develop
into a hurricane.
CATEGORY 1
Tropical weather terms
■ TROPICAL DEPRESSION: The tropical activity has a low-pressure area that
could become a hurricane. Highest wind speed is 38 mph.
■ TROPICAL STORM: Wind speeds of 39-73 mph. Low-pressure area is
well-defined by rotating circulation.
Any storm of Category 3 or more is
considered major.
Minimal
74-95 mph
winds
Some common misconceptions about the
physics of hurricanes:
Storm surge:
4-5 ft.
2013 Atlantic names Retired names
Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dorian
Erin
Fernand
Gabrielle
Humberto
Ingrid
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Nestor
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah
Sebastien
Tanya
Van
Wendy
Websites
Here is a list of websites
that track the progress of
approaching hurricanes:
The National Weather
Service: nws.noaa.gov
The National Hurricane
Center: nhc.noaa.gov
The Federal Emergency
Management Agency:
fema.gov
The Weather Channel:
weather.com
Florida Forecast:
floridaforecast.com
Accuweather:
accuweather.com
Map and Graphics by ROB MACK/Staff artist;
SOURCE: National Weather Service
CATEGORY 2
Carol, Hazel, Edna
Janet, Connie, Diane, Ione
Audrey
Donna
Carla
Flora
Cleo, Dora, Hilda
Betsy
Beulah
Camille
Celia
Agnes
Carmen
Eloise
Anita
David, Frederic
Allen
Alicia
Elena, Gloria
Gilbert
Hugo
Bob
Andrew
Luis, Marilyn, Opal, Roxanne
Cesar, Fran, Hortense
Georges, Mitch
Floyd, Lenny
Keith
Allison, Iris, Michelle
Isidore, Lilli
Fabian, Isabel, Juan
Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne
Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, Wilma
Dean, Felix, Noel
Gustav, Ike, Paloma
No retired names
Igor, Tomas
Irene
Sandy
MYTH:
FACT: Friction
Friction decreases
decreases
sustained
sustained winds
winds but
but increases
increases
gusts.
gusts. Storm
Storm weakens
weakens because
because
itit lacks
lacks moisture
moisture and
and heat
heat
that
that ocean
ocean provided.
provided.
Moderate
96-110 mph
winds
FACT: Size
Size and
and intensity
intensity are
are
Big
independent. Hurricane
Hurricane Andrew,
Andrew,
Big hurricanes
hurricanes independent.
are
for
for example,
example, was
was very
very intense
intense
are intense
intense
hurricanes.
but
but relatively
relatively small.
small.
hurricanes.
MYTH:
Windows,
Windows,
doors
doors should
should
be
be closed
closed on
on
the
the storm
storm side,
side,
open
open on
on the
the
opposite
opposite side.
side.
CATEGORY 3
Storm surge:
9-12 ft.
CATEGORY 4
Storm surge:
13-18 ft.
Extensive
111-129 mph
winds
Extreme
130-156 mph
winds
storm
storm reaches
reaches land
land is
is caused
caused by
by
winds
winds pushing
pushing ocean
ocean surface
surface
ahead
ahead of
of the
the storm.
storm.
MYTH:
Storm surge:
6-8 ft.
Once a storm has caused great
damage, its name is retired.
1954
1955
1957
1960
1961
1963
1964
1965
1967
1969
1970
1972
1974
1975
1977
1979
1980
1983
1985
1988
1989
1991
1992
1995
1996
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
FACT: Surge
Surge of
of high
high water
water as
as
Friction
Friction over
over
land
land kills
kills
the
the storm.
storm.
■ TROPICAL STORM WARNING: Tropical storm is expected within 24 hours.
■ HURRICANE WARNING: A hurricane is expected within 24 hours. Because of
the erratic nature of hurricanes, the warning could come only a few hours before.
MYTH:
Low
Low pressure
pressure
in
in storm’s
storm’s eye
eye
causes
causes storm
storm
surge.
surge.
■ TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that a tropical storm poses a
threat within 36 hours.
■ HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that a hurricane is expected within
36 hours.
Hurricane myths
FACT: All
All doors
doors and
and
windows
windows should
should be
be shut.
shut. The
The
difference
difference between
between pressure
pressure
inside
inside the
the house
house and
and outside
outside
in
in the
the storm
storm is
is not
not enough
enough
to
to cause
cause an
an explosion.
explosion.
No
No house
house is
is airtight.
airtight.
The eye of a storm
Thick cloud walls that
can reach 7 miles to
9 miles in height
surround center
Eyewall
Absorb huge amounts
of moisture from ocean,
causing heaviest rainfall
CATEGORY 5
Catastrophic
Winds over 157
mph
Storm surge:
18+ ft.
Eye
Winds here move in counter-clockwise
direction with great speed; combined
with low pressure can raise ocean surface
by 23 ft. to 40 ft.
AP
SOURCES: National Hurricane Center, The Audubon Society
Field Guide to North American Weather; research by PAT CARR
12| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |13
Retirement
communities
prepping for
storm season
By Kristine Crane
Staff writer
Oak Hammock at the
University of Florida, a
retirement center in
southwest Gainesville, is
getting ready to start its
annual hurricane
education and training so
staff and residents are
fully equipped for a
hurricane as the season
approaches.
CEO Cathy Ferguson
said the training spans
information on what
residents should have on
hand, such as extra toilet
paper, to where you can
go and how to communicate needs to staff.
Residents also are
reminded to know where
their medications are.
She added that in the
event of a disaster, more
staff members are called
in; and an emergency
phone system rings to all
residents’ numbers,
leaving the same messages for them.
“Oak Hammock as a
facility is designed to
withstand a hurricane of
level 5,” Ferguson said.
The strongest hurricane
to hit Florida in the past
20 years was a Category 4
— Hurricane Charley —
in 2004, which hit the
southwestern part of the
state but affected the
central and eastern parts,
as well. Hurricane
Andrew in 1992 was a
Category 5 and affected
mostly South Florida.
Ferguson added that
people living in the
independent living
houses that surround the
main facility can come
and stay in the main
building during a
disaster if they feel
uncomfortable, although
the homes are well-built.
“We would have enough
food to continue to feed
people, and enough water
stored,” she added.
Rebecca Catalanotto,
director of Health
Services at North Florida
Retirement Village, home
to 600 residents —140 of
whom are in assisted
living — said the complex
has an emergency
management plan should
inclement weather strike.
That includes having a
certain amount of food
and water on hand, levels
that are approved by the
county health department.
She also said the facility
has mutual aid agreements with other facilities throughout Florida
that will take in residents
if the facility would need
to be evacuated.
The complex regularly
has fire drills that
residents participate in
and hurricane drills for
staff.
Contact Kristine Crane
at 338-3119, or kristine.
crane@gvillesun.com.
ERICA BROUGH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE
There are no public shelters in Alachua County that will allow pets to accompany their owners.
Does your readiness plan include pets’ needs?
By Maru I. Opabola
Staff writer
As hurricane season
approaches, it’s important
for pet owners to remember when making their
storm survival plans that
they have choices on how
to protect their furry
family members, Alachua
County Emergency
Management Director
Dave Donnelly said.
Donnelly said the best
option during a major
storm is for pet owners to
travel with their animals
to the home of a friend
and/or family member
who lives outside of the
area affected by the
disaster.
If that option not available, pet owners are urged
to research pet-friendly
hotels outside of the
disaster zone, he said.
Alachua County Animal
Services’ website provides
a link to the website www.
Kit for pets
■ Pet
carrier
■ Three-day
supply of
food and water
■ First-aid kit
■ Special medications
■ Vet records
■ Proof of rabies vaccination
■ Spare leash and collar
■ Familiar toys and/or
blanket to reduce stress
■ Pet sanitary items (litter,
collection bags, paper
towels)
■ Current photo and
description of pet
petswelcome.com, which
allows users to search
along their route for hotels
that allow pets.
Donnelly recognized
there are circumstances
when neither a relative’s
home nor a hotel option
are possible for pet
owners. In that case, they
should contact their
veterinarian regarding
boarding or contact a
kennel where they can
leave their animal.
There is no public shelter
in Alachua County that
will allow pets to accompany their owners who
are fleeing from a storm.
In the event a person
arrives at a shelter with a
pet, he or she will be met
by an Animal Services
officer, who will take the
pet to the county facility
located at 3400 NE 53rd
Ave. The owner must
provide the pet’s shot
records, and the animal
must be in a carrier or on a
leash. It also must be
wearing a collar with
identifying tags at all
times.
Regardless of the plan,
Donnelly said it’s advisable to have all of the
above-mentioned items in
a disaster kit for pets
prepared in advance.
Donnelly will be speaking July 13 at the Alachua
County Pet Disaster
Preparedness Forum, an
event being hosted by Paul
Davis Restoration, the
University of Florida
College of Veterinary
Medicine and the Alachua
County Department of
Emergency Management.
The event is scheduled to
run from 11 a.m. until 4
p.m. at the College of
Veterinary Medicine, 1945
SW 16th Ave., Building
211.
Experts from the
College of Veterinary
Medicine also will be
speaking about disaster
preparation for animals
and the use of microchipping and social
media in the reunification
of pets with their owners
in the event of separation.
THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
14| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Storm survival:
Stock up on supplies
Having a plan and
gathering essential
needs will help you
ride out a hurricane.
Staff report
The disaster plan
Post emergency telephone numbers by the
phone.
■ Install safety features in
your house, such as smoke
detectors and fire extinguishers.
■ Inspect your home for
potential hazards (items
that can move, fall, break
or catch fire) and correct
them.
■ Have your family learn
basic safety measures,
such as CPR and first aid;
how to use a fire extinguisher; and how and when
to turn off water, gas and
electricity in your home.
■ Teach children how and
when to call 911 or your
local Emergency Medical
Services number.
■ Pick two places to meet:
a spot outside your home
for an emergency and a
place away from your
neighborhood in case you
can’t return home. Choose
an out-of-state friend as
your “family check-in
contact” for everyone to
call if the family gets
separated.
■ Keep important documents in a waterproof
container. Keep a smaller
disaster supplies kit in the
trunk of your car.
■ Keep enough supplies in
your home for at least
three days. Assemble a
disaster supplies kit (as
listed below). Store these
BRUCE ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Radio Shack sales associate Brandon Verhalen looks over weather alert radios.
■
Inspect your home for potential hazards
(items that can move, fall, break or catch
ﬁre) and correct them.
Clothing, bedding
■ One blanket and or
sleeping bag a person,
stored in a watertight
container
■ One change of clothes
and shoes a person, stored
in a watertight container
■ Rain gear, heavy/sturdy
boots or shoes; work
gloves, and hat or cap to
wear in sun
DOUG ENGLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Flashlights, lanterns and head lamps range from $2
to $20 at The Home Depot.
supplies in sturdy, easy-tocarry containers, such as
backpacks or duffle bags.
The disaster
checklist
General flashlights and
or lantern with extra
batteries. Candles are not
recommended because
they can pose a fire hazard
if left unattended.
■ A corded, land-line
telephone. Cordless
telephones do not work
without power.
■ Extra, charged cellphone battery and or car
■
charger for cellphone
■ Radio, and/or weather
radio (NOAA radio) with
extra batteries
■ Camera and film; extra
batteries. To take photographs of damage for
insurance purposes
■ Fire extinguisher
■ Sterno fuel and unit;
charcoal and lighter or
propane for gas grill
■ Tools: Keep a set with
you during the storm. A
pocketknife, nails, saw, a
hammer, an ax and rope
are important. Towels and
buckets are useful if you
develop a leak.
Special infant needs,
diapers, bottles and
formula, medicine
■ Pantry well stocked:
canned goods, dry milk,
dry cereals, powered
drinks, pastas
■ Non-electric can
opener, plastic utensils,
disposable plates, garbage
bags
■ Extra ice in freezer,
when storm is approaching
■
Medical, personal
Other needs
hygiene
Car tank filled with
First-aid kit and manuals
■ Sunscreen and insect
repellent
■ Bleach, for demolding
■ Medications and
specific medical information. Special infant needs
diapers, bottles formula
and food.
■
Food, water and
supplies
■ Drinking water. One
gallon a person, a day. A
three-day supply is
recommended. (Replace
stored water every six
months)
■
gasoline
Flat fixer for tires,
properly inflated spare tire
■ Air horn or whistle (to
call for help)
■ Fill tub and large
containers with water for
flushing toilet if water
supply stops
■ Pets inside or otherwise
protected, ample supply of
pet food
■ Loose outside objects
stored or secured
■ Tree branches tied or cut
■ Inventory of personal
belongings for insurance
claims: A written list and
proof of purchase (receipts, warranties) for
■
expensive items. Supplement with photographs or
video and keep with
important documents in
secure location (safe-deposit box, workplace or
out-of-state relative).
Bring to a shelter
Prescription medicines
Baby food and diapers
Cards, games, books,
toys
■ Toiletries
■ Battery-powered radio
■ Flashlight (one per
person)
■ Extra batteries
■ Blankets or sleeping
bags
■ Identification
■ Valuable papers (insurance)
■ Cash (with some small
bills) and credit cards.
Banks and ATMs might
not be available for
extended periods.
■
■
■
Post-storm
cleanup
Duct tape
Bleach
Tarp to temporarily
cover damaged areas
■ Water purification
tablets
Sources: National
Hurricane Center,
American Red Cross
■
■
■
www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |15
After the storm: Remember to play it safe
Staff report
The rain and wind might have
died down, but it doesn’t mean
the danger is over. As residents
start to get out, move about and
assess damage, there are some
precautions everyone should
take.
Prevent carbon
monoxide poisoning
Generators, grills, camp stoves
or other gasoline, propane,
natural gas or charcoal-burning
devices should never be used
inside a home, basement, garage
or camper — or even outside
near an open window. Have at
least one working carbon
monoxide detector.
Be aware of the risk of
chain-saw injury
Each year, approximately
36,000 people are treated in
hospital emergency departments for injuries from using
chain saws.
■ Operate, adjust and maintain
the saw according to manufacturer’s instructions provided in
the instruction manual.
■ Properly sharpen chain-saw
blades, and properly lubricate
the blade with bar and chain oil.
■ Choose the proper size of
chain saw to match the job, and
include safety features such as a
chain brake, front and rear hand
guards, stop switch, chain
catcher and a spark arrester.
■ Wear the appropriate protective equipment, including hard
hat, safety glasses, hearing
protection, heavy work gloves,
cut-resistant legwear (chainsaw chaps) that extend from the
waist to the top of the foot, and
boots which cover the ankle.
■ Always cut at waist level or
below to ensure you maintain
secure control over the saw.
■ Bystanders or co-workers
should remain at least two tree
lengths (at least 150 feet) away
from anyone felling a tree and at
least 30 feet from anyone
operating a chain saw to remove
limbs or cut a fallen tree.
If injury occurs, apply direct
pressure over heavy bleeding.
■ Beware of injury from the
release of bent trees or branches.
■
Driving safely in a
disaster location
Avoid driving through water,
especially when it is moving fast.
■ Do not drive through standing
water if fallen electrical wires
are in the water.
■ Avoid driving when tired,
fatigued or upset.
■ Plan your route in advance.
■
Protect yourself from
electric hazards
Never touch a fallen power
line. Call the power company to
report fallen power lines.
■ Avoid contact with overhead
power lines during cleanup and
other activities.
■ Do not drive through standing
water if downed power lines are
in the water.
■ If a power line falls across
your car while driving, stay
inside the vehicle and continue
to drive away from the line. If
the engine stalls, do not turn off
the ignition. Warn people not to
touch the car or the line. Call or
ask someone to call the local
utility company and emergency
services. Do not allow anyone
other than emergency personnel
to approach your vehicle.
■ If electrical circuits and
electrical equipment have gotten
wet or are in or near water, turn
off the power at the main breaker
or fuse on the service panel. Do
not enter standing water to
access the main power switch.
Call an electrician to turn it off.
■ Never turn power on or off
yourself or use an electric tool or
appliance while standing in
water. Do not turn the power
back on until electrical equipment has been inspected by a
qualified electrician. All electrical equipment and appliances
must be completely dry before
returning them to service. Have a
certified electrician check these
items if there is any question.
■
STAFF PHOTOS BY BRAD MCCLENNY/FILE
ABOVE: Avoid contact with downed lines during or after a storm. They may be live and can be
deadly. Report any outages or lines down to your power company. BELOW: Avoid driving through
water, especially when it is fast-moving.
THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
16| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
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Gainesville Regional Utilities workers are used to pitching in after a storm, whether it’s right here or helping
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GRU crews have experience
with recovery after storms
A large Gainesville crew
pitched in after Sandy hit
the Northeast last year.
By Christopher Curry
Staff writer
After a storm barrels through,
snapping poles and downing power
lines, electric companies rely on one
another to rebuild.
When Tropical Storm Sandy hit
last year, a 25-member Gainesville
Regional Utilities line crew trekked
up the East Coast to assist. The first
stop was Baltimore. For the most
part, the brunt of the storm spared
that area. After four or five days,
GRU workers headed to the devastation in hard-hit New Jersey. For two
weeks, the crew restored power in a
100-mile radius around Jersey City.
Used to torrential rains and
tropical storms, the GRU crews
were more battle-tested than their
Northeastern counterparts, said
Charlie Holder, an electric systems
operations coordinator with GRU.
“They weren’t prepared for that
kind of stuff,” he said. “Hurricanes
aren’t typical up there.”
David Sparks, the electric transmission and distribution manager for
GRU, said decades of responding to
tropical events have taught lessons
about the need to fix the main
transmission lines and substations
first in order to restore power to large
groups of customers quickly.
The aftermath of a storm also
demonstrates how electric companies rely on one another. In Florida,
the municipal-owned utilities all
have mutual aid agreements, Sparks
said.
When Tropical Storm Fay hit in
2008, crews from Tallahassee,
Lakeland, Ocala and Orlando came
to assist GRU.
“It’s a big group of people that all
know each other and all help each
other,” Sparks said of the utilities’
line crews. “At the drop of a hat, in a
matter of hours, you can double
your workforce.”
But even that assistance was
delayed in 2004, when multiple
storms blew through most of the
state and electric companies had to
worry about their own territories
first. Still, when the Florida crews
were occupied, power companies
from other Southeastern states
came to assist.
Looking ahead to the storm
season, Sparks said customers may
monitor information about power
outages and report outages at www.
gru.com/StormCentral. Customers
also may phone in information about
a power failure at 352-334-2871.
www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |17
Preparation critical for hospitals
Gainesville hospitals
prepare for severe weather
with drills twice a year.
By Kristine Crane
Staff writer
If there’s one good thing about a
hurricane, it’s that it gives you
some forewarning.
And for hospitals, that ability to
plan can be critical for caring for
current patients and planning for
a potential influx of others, said
Steve Truluck, the director of
safety, security and external
transportation and parking at
Shands at the University of
Florida.
“With a hurricane, you’ve got
days, watching it from way out in
the Atlantic. You’ve got just
enough time to do water checks to
protect against water intrusion,”
Truluck said, adding that other
types of disasters such as tornados don’t give as much advance
warning.
“You don’t see the tornado
coming five and seven days out.
It’s an immediate strike thing,”
Truluck said. “The damage is
usually in a much smaller location
than a hurricane, which is a 150
miles wide.”
In the event of either disaster
scenario — and others such as
bombings — Shands, like Gainesville’s other major hospitals, has
emergency plans that are constantly being refined, Truluck
said. Part of that is increasing
Shands’ 852-bed capacity,
Truluck said.
“We have beds in supply and
locations designated within the
hospital where rooms are — maybe a conference center that can
have beds,” he explained, adding
that the beds would be for a
potential surge of incoming
patients and not for critical care
patients.
Truluck said all disaster victim
patients go through a triage
process — either on site at the
disaster, or in the hospital emergency room — and they are given
a color based on a color-coded
scheme related to their level of
trauma.
“Green are walking wounded
— they can ambulate and could
have a broken arm or a laceration.
Really it’s like an urgent-care type
level of care,” Truluck said,
adding that “red” is for more
serious injuries, and black means
dead upon arrival.
Truluck said Shands goes
through drills twice a year to
simulate what would happen in
the event of severe weather or
something like a bombing on
game day, in which power and city
water would potentially be lost.
The drills, which involve patient
volunteers, allow them to determine things such as whether they
have enough stretchers in stock.
Then they go over plans with
various departments in the
hospital such as food services and
facilities maintenance.
“We make sure all of our call
lists are up to speed. A number of
things are constantly in review,
but we refresh all of those things
as we go into hurricane season,”
Truluck said.
■■■
Across the street from Shands,
the Malcom Randall VA Medical
Center also does drills twice a
year to assess the hospital’s
preparedness for natural disasters, said spokeswoman Heather
Frebe.
She added that because the VA
treats only veterans, it probably
would be a last-resort resource for
other patients in the community.
However, the VA does take in
other vets from around the state
during disasters.
“If something happens in
Tampa, and we do have beds, we
could take patients,” Frebe said,
explaining that all VA hospitals in
Florida are connected via satellite
radio. All VA patients in the U.S.
are also in the electronic records,
which facilitates care during
emergencies, Frebe added.
“There’s still going to be confusion because of an emergency, but
in terms of what patients’ needs
are, they are able to assess
because that’s part of patients’
electronic records,” she said.
Frebe said that the hospital also
constantly communicates details
of its operating status on its
Facebook page and website.
She added that during Tropical
Storm Debby, several VA patients
and employees were affected in
Lake City — which meant that
work schedules and doctors’
appointments had to be rescheduled.
“People weren’t coming in to be
triaged; it was more of an information-type incident for us,” she said.
■■■
In Northwest Gainesville, North
Florida Regional Medical Center
has a 2,500-square-foot command
center for emergencies on the fifth
floor of the surgical tower that
includes a communications and
monitoring hub, a large living
space for staff to stay in during a
surge of patients, and emergency
food and water supplies, said
Jeremy Gallman, director of
safety, security and emergency
management at North Florida.
Gallman said that after each
major disaster the country
experiences — such as the intense
rainstorms that impacted New
York City last summer — the
hospital goes through its own
emergency plan “with a fine-tooth
comb” and reassesses its own
patient capacity.
The hospital soon will have a
445-bed capacity once construction on additions is completed this
summer. Gallman estimates at
least 90 more beds could be added
— with some patients doubling up
in rooms — during disasters.
Gallman said people need to be
aware that during disasters,
hospitals are for patients and not
the general public. Having
experienced Hurricane Hugo in
Charlotte, N.C., in 1989, Gallman
said people wandered in seeking
food and shelter.
“While we would love to do that,
it’s almost an impossible task
when you need to take care of
patients,” he said.
Contact Kristine Crane at 3383119, or kristine.crane@gvillesun.
com.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rick Knabb, National Hurricane Center director, talks this
month in Fort Lauderdale about the lessons learned from
Superstorm Sandy and expectations for the Atlantic
storm season, which begins Saturday.
Hurricane center chief
focusing on water hazards
Improving its storm
surge forecasts has
been a goal, especially
after last season.
The Associated Press
FORT LAUDERDALE —
Last year’s hurricane season
drove home some big
lessons, according to the
nation’s chief hurricane forecaster: Storm surge and
flooding are dangerous and
difficult to predict, and
sometimes it’s even harder
to communicate that sense
of urgency to the public.
It wasn’t just high winds
that posed a threat and
caused damage, said
National Hurricane Center
Director Rick Knabb, who
joined Florida’s emergency
managers earlier this month
in Fort Lauderdale at the
annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference. “2012 was
all about water, water, water.
Debby, Isaac, Sandy,” Knabb
said. “It was storm surge
from the ocean, it was inland
flooding, it was river
flooding.”
The hurricane center has
been working for several
years to improve its storm
surge forecasts and public
warnings about potential
flooding risks far from the
coastline. The last season
has added a sense of urgency
to get those upgrades ready
by the 2015 season, Knabb
said.
Superstorm Sandy brought
high winds, extreme tides,
drenching rains, flooding
and even heavy snow when it
slammed into New Jersey in
October.
Much of the damage left by
Tropical Storm Debby in June
came from river flooding
after heavy rains soaked
northern and central Florida.
The hurricane center said it
would change the way it
warns people about tropical
storms that become something else, after some critics
suggested that Northeast
residents underestimated
Sandy’s danger because
forecasters stopped issuing
hurricane warnings when
the storm merged with two
cold-weather systems and
lost its tropical characteristics.
THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
18| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
Area storm shelters ready to open for residents
By Morgan Watkins
Staff writer
Alachua County didn’t
need to open its hurricane
shelters last year, but it
still has a roster of sites
ready for action this storm
season in case people need
them.
The county has 11
general population
shelters and four specialneeds shelters for residents with specific
medical needs. Alachua
County Emergency
Management goes
through a process each
year to ensure the shelters
and their staff members
are prepped for hurricane
season, Emergency
Management Director
Dave Donnelly said.
The county’s Community
Support Services staff run
the general population
shelters, so they’re
receiving training from
the American Red Cross of
North-Central Florida, he
said. The Alachua County
Health Department staffs
the special-needs shelters.
The emergency management department also
hosts an annual shelter
summit each year, where it
reviews its shelter plan
with staff from the local
Red Cross chapter, various
county offices and other
organizations. The
Regional Transit System
also is a part of these
discussions because the
county will work with its
staff to help transport
people to the shelters in
emergency situations.
“It is a large team of
people coming together to
make this happen when
we do open shelters, so
we’re kind of touching
base, refining the plan a
little, [and] discussing
issues that may have come
up from last year,” Donnelly said.
Even though the county
didn’t need to open any
shelters last year, it needs
to be prepared, and
residents should be ready
to take advantage of them
if and when that happens.
Residents can check out
the list of county shelters
online at alachuacounty.
us/em.
If a storm comes that
requires opening the
shelters, people should
check which ones are
operational because the
one nearest to them may
be closed or already filled,
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Donnelly said. The county
may open the shelters in a
staggered pattern by opening two shelters until
they’re filled before
opening up two more.
The county hasn’t
removed or replaced any
shelters since last year, but
it has added a new one:
Meadowbrook Elementary.
Residents should come
up with a plan for how
they will handle the
situation if they need to go
to a shelter this hurricane
season, which runs from
Saturday to Nov. 30.
Donnelly suggested
people pack changes of
clothes, as well as toys and
books for children to keep
them occupied at the
shelter.
Residents need to bring
something to sleep on
because not every person
gets a bed at a shelter, said
Casey Schmelz, emergency services manager for
the local Red Cross
chapter. She also suggested anyone who uses a
walker or cane, even just
occasionally, should bring
it with them because the
beds are low to the ground
ERICA BROUGH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER/FILE
and they may need it for
support.
People with pets should
think about where they
will take their animals as
well since they aren’t
permitted in county
shelters. “Sometimes pets
are an afterthought,” she
said.
Contact Morgan Watkins
at 338-3104 or morgan.
watkins@gainesville.com.
www.gainesville.com | THE GAINESVILLE SUN
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 |19
Where can you go if you can’t stay home?
hese sites will serve
as shelters for the
general population
or those with special
needs during a hurricane
or other natural disaster.
Shelter openings will
be announced based on
the severity and potential
damage of a storm.
Contact the emergency
management office in
each county for more
information.
T
ALACHUA COUNTY
■ Rawlings
352-264-6500
Elementary School (spe-
cial needs)
3500 NE 15th St.
Gainesville
■ Westwood Middle School (special
needs)
3215 NW 15th Ave.
Gainesville
■ Buchholz High School (special
needs)
5510 NW 27th Ave.
Gainesville
■ Alachua Elementary School (special
needs)
13800 NW 152nd Place
Alachua
■ Talbot Elementary School
5701 NW 43th St.
Gainesville
■ Williams Elementary School
1245 SE Seventh Ave.
Gainesville
■ Shell Elementary School
21633 SE 65th Ave.
Hawthorne
■ Archer Community School
14533 SW 170th St.
Archer
■ Eastside High School
1201 SE 45th Terrace
Gainesville
■ Kanapaha Middle School
5005 SW 75th St.
Gainesville
■ Oak View Middle School
1203 SW 250th St.
Newberry
■ Waldo
Community School
14450 NE 148th Ave.
Waldo
■ High Springs Community School
1015 N. Main
High Springs
■ Meadowbrook Elementary School
11525 NW 39th Ave.
Gainesville
■ Santa Fe High School
16213 NW U.S. Hwy 441
Alachua
BRADFORD COUNTY
904-966-6336
High School
581 N. Temple Ave.
Starke
■ Bradford Middle School
527 N. Orange St.
Starke
■ Starke Elementary School (special
needs and pet shelter)
1000 Weldon St.
Bldg. 4
Starke
■ Lawtey Community School
North Park Street and U.S. 301
Lawtey
■ Brooker Elementary School
18551 Charlotte Ave. (SR 18)
Brooker
■ Hampton Elementary School
SR 221 and CR 18
Hampton
■ Southside Elementary School
823 Stanbury St.
Starke
■ Reception and Medical Center (sex
offender shelter)
7765 S. CR 231
Lake Butler
■ First Baptist Church
163 W. Jefferson St.
Starke
■ Madison Street Baptist Church
900 W. Madison St.
Starke
■ Hope Baptist Church
3900 SE SR 100 E.
Starke
■ Bradford
CLAY COUNTY
904-284-7703
Elementary
2625 Spencer Plantation Blvd.
Orange Park
■ Oakleaf High School
4035 Plantation Oaks Blvd.
Orange Park
■ Oakleaf Junior High
4085 Plantation Oaks Blvd.
Orange Park
■ Oakleaf Village Elementary
410 Oakleaf Village Parkway
Orange Park
■ Orange Park High School (petfriendly shelter)
2300 Kingsley Ave.
Orange Park
■ Coppergate Elementary
2250 CR 209 N.
Middleburg
■ RideOut Elementary
3065 Apalachicola Blvd.,
Middleburg
■ Tynes Elementary
1550 Tynes Blvd.
Middleburg
■ Clay High School (pet-friendly
shelter)
2025 SR 16 West
Green Cove Springs
■ Green Cove Springs Junior High
1220 Bonaventure Ave.
Green Cove Springs
■ Lake Asbury Junior High
2851 Sandridge Road
Green Cove Springs
■ Shadowlawn Elementary
2945 CR 218
Green Cove Springs
■ Clay Hill Elementary
6345 CR 218
Jacksonville
■ Keystone Heights High School (petfriendly shelter)
900 SW Orchid Ave.
Keystone Heights
■ McRae Elementary
6770 CR 315 C.
Keystone Heights
■ St. Johns River Community College
(special-needs shelter)
Thrasher-Horne Building
283 College Drive
Orange Park
■ Argyle
■ Plantation Oaks Elementary
4150 Plantation Oaks Blvd.
Orange Park
DIXIE COUNTY
352-498-1240, ext. 7
■ Old Town Elementary School
(special needs and general population)
221 SE 136th Ave.
Old Town
■ Ruth Rains Middle School (back-up
shelter)
981 SW CR 351
Cross City
■ Anderson Elementary (back-up
shelter)
815 SW CR 351
Cross City
■ Chiefland
Middle School (secondary shelter)
811 NW Fourth Drive
Chiefland
■ Joyce Bullock Elementary School
130 SW Third St.
Williston
PUTNAM COUNTY
386-329-0379
■ Browning-Pearce Elementary
School (American Red Cross)
100 Bear Blvd.
San Mateo
■ Ochwilla Elementary School (American Red Cross and pet friendly)
229 N. SR 21
Hawthorne
■ Q.I. Roberts Middle School (AmeriGILCHRIST COUNTY can Red Cross)
901 SR 100
386-935-5400
Florahome
■ Trenton Elementary School
■ Interlachen Elementary School
1350 SW SR 26
(American Red Cross)
Trenton
251 S. SR 315
■ Bell Elementary School
Interlachen
2771 E. Bell Ave.
■ Jenkins Middle School (last-resort
Bell
shelter)
■ Health Academy at Bell High School
1100 N. 19th St.
(special needs)
Palatka
930 S. Main St.
■ Palatka High School (last-resort
Bell
shelter)
302 Mellon Road
LEVY COUNTY
Palatka
352-486-5213
■ Middleton-Burney Elementary
■ Bronson Elementary School (special
School
needs)
(last-resort shelter)
SR 24
1020 Huntington Road
Bronson
Crescent City
■ Chiefland Elementary School
■ Crescent City Junior/Senior High
1205 NW Fourth Ave.
School (last-resort shelter)
Chiefland
2201 S U.S. 17
■ Williston Elementary School
Crescent City
801 S. Main St.
■ Kelley Smith Elementary School
Williston
(special needs)
■ Bronson Middle/High School
121 Kelley Smith Road
8691 NE 90th St.
Palatka
Bronson
■ Williston High School (secondary
UNION COUNTY
shelter)
386-496-4300
427 W. Noble Ave.
■ Union County High School (special
Williston
needs and general population)
1000 S. Lake Ave.
Lake Butler
THE GAINESVILLE SUN | www.gainesville.com
20| SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013
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